You would do better to contribute to the max match of your employer, then take the rest and invest in a Roth IRA. You can contribute a max of $5,500/yr in a Roth. It's like a savings account, so when you have kids and life gets short on time and money you can use a Roth IRA whereas, you would be forced to take a loan out on a 401(k) then pay back the amount.

The 401(k) is only a good investment vehicle for up to the amount that an employer contributes. If you go beyond that you'd be better of in a Roth IRA or bonds (municipal).

A 401(k) must be vested to earn the employer match. Most companies require that you work for them for 5 years before you are 100% vested and you can take their contribution to your 401(k) with you when you leave. If you aren't employed by them for the minimal amount of time that it takes to be fully vested, then you forfeit their match amount.

The Roth IRA matures after 5 years. If you cash it in before that time, then you can cash it in for the amount that you paid for it. If you keep it until you retire, then the interest compounds.

Don't pay off your student loan early. It is the cheapest interest loan available and it gives you good credit during the time that you are paying it. It was the best investment you could have made and the interest is so low that it is actually less than the inflation rate. You're shooting yourself in the foot if you pay it off early.

If you plan to live somewhere less than 8-10 years, then you're better off renting in most cases. You're going to get stuck paying Private Mortgage Insurance if you don't have 10% down on a home loan. PMI can cost a couple hundred bucks per month on top of a mortgage. Once you're invested for 10% then the payment goes away. VA loans don't require money down or PMI.

An 8-month emergency fund will be there to help in case you have hospital bills or wind up without work. Take the amount that it takes to live each month and multiply it by 8. You can have that much in cash, precious medals, or Roth IRA's but it should be much more important to stash than paying off student loans right now.